Looking Back 9/15

60 years ago

SIKESTON - Sikeston will have its first radio show this week. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening, the Lair Co. will display for town and rural residents 30 of the most recent models, including two 25-tube $750 radios.

40 years ago

SIKESTON - An explosion in an oil heater at the residence of Miss Freda Reese Friday afternoon spewed soot throughout the house and covered Miss Reese and a visiting friend, Mrs. Neil Kornegger.

SIKESTON - Three girls have entered the queen of cotton contest. Crowning of the queen of cotton occurs Saturday morning and will climax events for the week-long festival. The crowning will follow the annual parade. The contestants are: Brenda Graham of Bloomfield, Jackie Larsen of Dexter and Mary Caldwell of Benton.

20 years ago

Sept. 15, 1986

NEW MADRID - Opening of the New Madrid Fall Festival Monday night was the selection of Tiny Tot royalty. Chosen from among more than 30 entries were winners Ryan Matthew Weaks, 3, the son of Patricia Weaks of New Madrid and Sam Robinson, the 3-year-old daughter of Peter and Martha Robinson of Lilbourn.

10 years ago

SIKESTON - The United Way of Sikeston kicked off its annual campaign drive today setting a goal of $65,000. Sixteen agencies will benefit from the drive, scheduled to be conducted in a record 60 days, according to this year's chairman Michael Jensen.

DORENA - The trip to Kentucky just got a bit quicker for resident in Mississippi County and the surrounding area. The Dorena-Hickman Ferry is up and going and passenger ready. The first car was delivered on Thursday by Capt. Larry Claghorn and relief pilot Bob Cherry. "We had intended to take off on Friday and begin the weekend but then a glance at the calendar showed that it would have been Friday the 13th and we chose to start early," Cherry said jokingly.